Shallow well pump performance?

[Valveman]

That pump is not much better than the one you have. With a 12' lift it has a max pressure of 60 PSI and only delivers 4.9 GPM at 50 PSI. So anything over 4.9 GPM is still going to run at very low pressure. And you will need to stay with a 30/50 pressure switch setting. A 1HP with a higher pressure jet like the J10S would have a max pressure of 72 PSI, which would let you run a 40/60 switch, and would deliver up to 15 GPM at 50 PSI. If you want more pressure and volume you will need a pump that can deliver more.

 

[the old grind]

Y'know, I did see those pumps with much higher pressure ratings, but surfing for reviews got confusing and I lost tract of some of the pressure/flow charts. Well, I may have pumps left over after trying a few. :laughing: 30-50 switch is fine when the tank isn't empty and I'm going on the pump alone. Since flow means more to me than ultimate pressure, I'm still optimistic.

I'd like to think I can get 3-4 GPM at say 45 PSI, so this could be a test case to share with others. btw, my hose bib is at most 12-14 above pond/static level and run from the pump to nozzle on a 50' hose would be just over 120'. We'll see what frictional losses do to attenuate that.

First tractor I hose down will be my trial, probably a week from now. Fingers crossed, and thanks!
t o g

 

[speedbump]

From what I'm hearing, your pump isn't getting the water it needs to keep up with your garden hose which can use as much as ~10 gpm. Lift, friction and pipe size all enter into this problem. Your shower obviously doesn't use enough water to make the pump starve so it cycles. The garden hose is overcoming the pumps output so when the tank empties, the pump has to cover the load and can't keep up. If the pump can't get enough water because of several conditions, it won't matter how much horse power you buy. You can't buy a better pump than a Sta Rite. At least before Pentair bought them out.

 

[the old grind]

Thanks for that. I couldn't have bought a lower-rated Sta-Rite than I did, tho' it's been a good performer up to its limitations. I have little doubt that my well will keep up with a higher flow pump until proven otherwise, and I'll soon find out if it will. Fingers crossed, and keep up with the comments and suggestions.

Here's my workspace:

 

[speedbump]

That same pump was called an FSCH here in Florida. The letters stood for Florida Special C = 1/2hp H = High head. They were always a great deal for the money and they were a very good little pump.
Ten gallons per minute was tops for them but they would work well on a small household with a shallow well with a not too deep water level.
I would get a 4" X 1-1/4" well seal to put in the top of that well though.

 

[the old grind]

IIRC, Sta-Rite's SND-L 3/4 hp was a top candidate when searching. My FNC-L is loud, and I might shouldn't have assumed they'd both be similarly so. My local dealer does have the SND-L in stock, if not competitively priced.

We discussed his familiarity with my area and year of build (early '70s), and concern was that I might overdraw. We hashed out that at 40' from ~18 ac/ft (3+ ac surface of the pond that was mined for sand) the large 'stone pit' between the house and pond is indeed a 'crock' well as is/was typical in my nabe. (2 RR ties x 2 RR ties, marble-sized stones from surface to several feet down)

This might all become moot if I mess something up and decide to drill for a submersible. My guy was familiar with poor water quality at depth around here, if not that we're at the West end of a high arsenic area this side of Lake Huron. I plan to play around with the SW pump(s) at least until Springtime. That should give me time to find/vet a driller for a submersible.

Speedbump, I really appreciate the kind of help that gets me surfing for the detail bits. :thumbsup: Thank you! t o g

 

[speedbump]

Where are you up there? Somewhere near East Tawas? My Brother-in-law has a cabin in South Branch. His well is way over 100' deep and has a sub in it. I drilled a few wells in the Harrison area up there years ago.

One thing to remember when looking for a pump. Make sure the motor is totally separate from the pump. It should be the old style, C-Flange or Square flange. Nothing that has fins on it. All the imports I have sadly became familiar with don't hold up much past the years warranty. And if the motor gets noisy, the two I mentioned have "REAL" ball bearings not bushings. Take it to a motor shop and have the bearings replaced.

 

[the old grind]

I'm quite a bit South of the Tawas's in the Flint River plain, and just West of I-75. My pump/tank is mere feet from the indoor distribution panel and will be wired for 220v. Motor is square flange, TEFC, CSIR, and draws 7-some amps at 220v. Maximum lift will be 10-12' 24/7/365 if I don't overdraw the crock. (TDH from pump to my furthest use will be just shy of 120' including 50' of hose length.)

I just dialed the hotline (Franklin, it turns out) and asked a tech guy about the bearings. He wasn't familiar with the new line's motor specs and did some digging so we'd both know. He found the OEM part # for motor bearings and it crosses to a specific ball bearing. So far so good.

When you say 'finned' I presume you meant TEFC, and I know there can be heat problems internally that the external fan doesn't account for when cycling on and off. Internal insulation is apparently a higher 'class' than we'd expect with an ODP motor, so likely to account for it. That said, I'd be surprised if it isn't an import. If I were to replace the Red Lion before drilling for a 'sub' I'd try Sta-Rite's SND-L (ODP, btw) after 14 or so years of unfailing, if weak, output from the 1/2 hp FNC-L.

Y'know, I feel kind of special being challenged to parse every detail, but shouldn't be surprised because this is TBN. IMO I couldn't find a better place to seek guidance. Thanks, again!
jon

 

[speedbump]

Genesee County? I"m not sure which motor you are saying is TEFC, the A.O. Smith isn't but maybe your talking about your new pump. Your A.O. Smith should have 6203 bearings front and back and they are the most popular bearings known to man. What pump has a Franklin motor on it? Franklin is a popular sub motor but now a well known jet motor. Sta Rite never used them that I'm aware of. Of coarse A.O. Smith is now Regal which is not of this country. And so it goes, all the name brands are owned by one of two companies, only a few hold outs and Sta Rite unfortunately wasn't one of them.

 

[the old grind]

Yes, Genessee County, home of the recent Flint water quality crisis.

Tech said '6023' bearings, so does one of us have our numbers transposed?

Seems that Sta-Rite's motors are ODP frame and Red Lions typically TEFC. I read somewhere that Franklin has incorporated Little Giant some years ago, and Red Lion is another product under their umbrella for warranty and service. btw, Ive heard that Franklin 'sub' motors 'aren't what they used to be' and some makers could be moving away from their dominant use therein.

Ratings for both my choice brands (S-R, RL) are right up there among the best.